Testing the Limits

Had wanted it for a very long time.

His neck curved. Her chin tilted, moving to give him room. Her breath stuttered. They were so tightly pressed together, he could feel the hitch in her chest more than hear it.

Her eyes darkened.

But before he could actually claim her mouth, a small, hesitant voice interrupted.

“Uh, mister, you dropped your towel.”

* * *

OH, DEAR LORD ABOVE.

Quinn’s head turned slowly, her gaze traveling across the breadth of Jace’s shoulders, down his tight biceps, still glistening with tiny droplets of water, to his large hand clenched around a gun.

Okay, so that definitely wasn’t the hard ridge of his gun between them.

She sucked in a harsh breath, her body lighting up like the New York skyline on New Year’s Eve.

“Uh, mister, you dropped your towel.”

The high-pitched little boy voice had Quinn’s gaze dragging back across the hard body pressed tight to hers.

She was human, after all.

It was her only excuse when her body curled up to sneak a peak of Jace’s naked backside.

Dear, sweet heaven.

Her hands dug into the soft grass and tore it up by the roots. It was either that or grab a handful of him. As it was, she couldn’t quite stop herself from squirming beneath him.

Jace hissed, almost like she’d hurt him. Panic surged through her. Had he injured himself diving to the ground?

That thought had her fists unlocking. They were so tightly pressed together, she couldn’t see anything. But, oh, could she feel. Her fingers found his sides, running up over his ribs, down his hips and over the tight ridge of ab muscles, searching for some sign of damage. By touch alone, she explored him, pausing slightly when her fingertips brushed across the raised proof of the scars he’d tried to cover up.

Another groan rumbled up through his chest. The vibration of it shot straight through her, but she was too deep in worry to dwell on her reaction.

She searched his pale blue gaze, looking for any sign of pain. And it was there, lurking deep in the back, an echo that sent adrenaline surging through her body.

“What did you do? Where does it hurt?”

Quinn wrapped her leg around his, and with a surge of her hips tried to flip him over onto his back so she could examine the rest of him. Unfortunately, the move didn’t get her much of anything.

Jace’s hips surged against her, driving her deeper into the ground and pinning her in place.

His long, lean body stretched over hers, reminding her that she could feel every hard inch of him. And there were plenty of them to feel.

“Really? Did you really just ask me that, Quinn?”

Heat flushed her skin, embarrassment and arousal.

“That’s what I thought. Any idea where my towel went?”

As if by magic, a beige pile of terrycloth plopped down onto the ground right beside them.

Jace looked up, a grim smile curving his lips. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“Sure,” a voice said, clearly full of barely suppressed laughter. From a few yards away several snickers joined the moment. A battered pair of sneakers paused for a second before turning and retreating fast, followed by four more. They were blessedly alone, although Quinn wasn’t entirely certain that was a good thing.

Rolling, somehow Jace managed to snag the towel, cover the strategic parts and end up on his back beside her on her lawn.

One arm plopped down over his face, shielding his eyes and expression from Quinn. Although she could see his mouth—his beautiful, kissable, tempting mouth—the corners crooked up in a smirk that hadn’t fully formed.

Pulling her legs beneath her, Quinn sat up cross-legged next to him. Her knee brushed his hip. She should probably pull it away, but she didn’t want to. She liked touching him. Liked the way any contact made her body buzz with an energy she hadn’t felt in a very, very long time.

His chest rose and fell on even, measured breaths. And while the towel was draped across the middle of his body, it did nothing to hide the valleys and planes of his abs. Or the massive erection tenting the soft cotton. She’d seen him half naked last night, his shorts covering pretty much exactly the same amount of skin as the towel.

So why was she reacting like this was more?

“So, um, thanks for trying to save me?”

He rolled his head sideways, a single clear blue eye peeking out from behind his arm. “Sure. Any rabid baseballs, murderous footballs or wayward Frisbees attack and I’m your man.”

Quinn reached for him, running her fingers down the slope of his arm in a gesture meant to soothe his wounded pride.

“It was sweet. Honestly. I know I haven’t exactly been making this easy, but it means a lot that you’re willing to put yourself in harm’s way to protect me.”

She had no idea what she’d said, but one moment amusement was lighting his eyes, the next his mouth tightened into a grim line and a cold shield dropped in place to cut her off from seeing anything else.

“Of course I’d protect you. You don’t have to ask. It’s what Michael would have done. What I’ll do since he can’t.”

For some reason, a large lump formed in the middle of her throat. It hurt, as though she’d tried to swallow a bite way too big.

He was wrong. Michael had been a lot of things—and she’d loved him for every one of them. He’d been a good man. But not the kind to charge into a dangerous situation, not caring about his personal safety.

Michael had been methodical and meticulous. He would have assessed the situation first. Calculated probabilities and then calmly called someone more qualified to tackle the problem.

Jace...he just went in with both barrels blazing. Damn the consequences. He thought she was in danger and that was all he needed to know in order to act.

Jace surged to his feet and Quinn watched him walk away. She got another brief glimpse of his delectable rear as he wrapped the towel around his body and secured it at his waist.

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